Hate me, or Love me
by Lupeh
Summary: Haruka has lived with Satoshi during his musical career for eight years, working as a slave for his affections. Unfortunately, Satoshi is cold hearted and kicks her out. Now, Haruka seeks revenge on her childhood friend via fame. R&R CS, some AS
1. Prologue: Deception

**Story Title: Hate me, Or Love Me  
Rating: Teen, for slight cursing and possible Adult themes  
Pairings: Contestshipping(later on), and slight Advancedshipping. May be additional pairings.  
A/N: Yes, I'm using the Japanese names and some suffixes. This is how the original story was wrote, and I will continue using the names and suffixes. If it's unberable for you to read, then I will make an English version and e-mail it to all who request a copy.**

* * *

Summary: [Slight twist on Skip Beat! plot, but quickly branches away] Haruka has lived under the shadow of Satoshi for eight years as a house maid, hoping that he will one day return her affections. Unfortunately, this is simply a dream that is later crushed by Satoshi dismissing her from living with him. Haruka challenges Satoshi out of fury, claiming that she could become more famous than he in one year compared to his eight year climb to fame. Having accepted the challenge, Haruka falls back on her friendship with Shuu who tries to offer her moral support, but there's something weird going on with Shuu. Can Haruka meet the rising odds to become famous and also find what's wrong with Shuu?

* * *

"Satoshi, you bastard!" yelped Haruka as she tried to contain her building fury.

"I don't need your…'services' anymore, _Haru-kun_," Satoshi replied mockingly, a smirk pulling at the corners of his mouth. Scoundrel. No, Devil. She had been deceived a devil in angel's clothing.

"I've done practically everything for you since we were kids... and this... _this _is how you repay me?" the brunette spat, fists clenching tighter with every second that passed. 'Contain yourself, Haruka. Schooling this bastard isn't going to make any difference just yet,' she inwardly reminded herself, as if to keep from landing that punch to his pretty-boy face.

"You've lived under my fame for eight years. I doubt you have much to complain about," Satoshi retorted, looking away, clearly uninterested in what the female had to say.

"Fame? Cripes, you sure have an ego for a practically B-list musician."

"B-list? Hah. Like you could do better, you ungrateful wench," Satoshi mused, waving his hand in a dismissive manner. His gaze was challenging in a childish way, and Haruka could feel hatred slithering up her throat like bile. No. Just a little more and she could show this 'friend' what he really meant to her.

Haruka's gaze hardened, intensity seeping into her sapphire irises as she stared down Satoshi like a lion and its prey. A grim smile yanked at the corner of her mouth before slowly wedging and spreading across her face. Her tone darkened, sounding eerie, and, well….evil, to Satoshi's ears.

"Me? Ungrateful? You haven't done a damn thing for yourself in _years_ and you can still claim that I'm in _your_ debt? Satoshi, you must be brain-dead to even consider that."

"Well," Satoshi paused, sitting up straighter after being caught of guard. A smirk had clearly plastered itself on his face, "I don't see you ranking on the charts or reaching stardom anytime soon, O baka-chan (stupid girl)"

Haruka did not flinch, even at his ridiculously childish insults. Satoshi was now the enemy, and she was trying her best to keep down all the non-sensical word vomit that was dying to be spilled.

"I could become more famous than you in one year than you have in the past eight!" the 19 year-old spat, her sapphire eyes set ablaze with the loathing that quickly spread itself throughout the room

"You.." his gaze darkened "You're on, you witch! Don't come back until you are accomplished, or even pretty, for that matter," the dark-headed boy sneered, slumping back in his chair. The last straw. Yes, this was it.

Haruka's gaze raked the youth from head to toe and finally she could feel the bitter words twist and burn in her mouth. If only she could let them out—yes, they would be enough to show him how she really felt about her childhood friend who had convinced her to move in with him into an Osaka apartment and perform all of his chores in return for his affections. Yes, she had been stupid. This boy would never love her, no matter how much time she spent on him, and frankly she didn't want it anymore. He was insane—a womanizer who abused his power. Her gaze hardened as she leaned forward and summoned all her strength into the blow she landed on his right cheek. His eyes widened with slight surprise and the recognition of pain. Haruka was, indeed, very strong and he had bluntly called upon her strength. His hand inched over the now swollen area as he gazed disgustedly back at the girl.

"You…"

"I won't." she paused, attempting to calm once more. There was a point to be made, and violent words, she concluded, would not help her. "I won't come back. Ever. I don't need a worthless and childish boy to order me around anymore. I don't want it, and I won't have it. Consider this goodbye, Satoshi, or rather good-riddance." Haruka replied coolly, sapphire eyes icy like her tone. Slowly, she turned and walked away. Away from the boy who had ruined eight years of her life. Away from the unrequited love and deception she had faced for so long. Away from all the lies. Yes, away from it all.

"Good luck in hell, devil lady," Satoshi called, waving in a mocking manner. She heard this and dared not to turn around.

"Same to you, wretch."

* * *

Lupeh: Ahhh. That was a pretty badly wrote chapter, however, I ask that everyone at least _try_ to read the on-coming chapters. I write most of them in advance, so I'm usually 1 or 2 chapters ahead of the published one, so I can tell where the story is going. The Prologue is annoying to write, but it's really going to be rolling after chapter 3.

**Thanks for Reading! Please Review for up-coming chapters!**


	2. Chapter 1: Calling For You

"Sheesh. You have problems, Haruka," Shuu mused, laughing half to himself and half into the receiver. Haruka had just told him about her fight with Satoshi, and oddly enough, he couldn't help but laugh. Yes, he had warned her about this from the beginning and here it was.

"Shuu-kun, I'm such an idiot, aren't I?" Haruka hiccupped, trying to desperately catch her breath before talking to her companion on the other end.

Shuu's chuckling ceased, hearing the strangled sobs of the brunette. Frowning, he retorted. "Pretty stupid, but not quite an idiot"  
Gently, he rapped his fingers on the desk before leaning back in the chair he sat in.  
"However, I did tell you that you shouldn't stay with that idiot, Satoshi, in the first place, now didn't I? Even your little brother said not to on _many_ occasions."

Silence on the other end of the line.

"Haruka?" Shuu pressed.

"Yes?" the girl whimpered.

"Don't do anything drastic because of that stupid boy. He's naïve and has never treated a girl properly in his life. Kasumi can testify to that."

"Who?" Haruka questioned.

"Never mind, Haruka."

"Okay" Haruka whimpered once more, brushing away the last of her tears. Yet again, she paused before saying: "Shuu-kun?"

"Yes, Haruka?"

"Why don't I ever see you anymore? We were together a lot as kids, but I haven't seen since," she commented, a note of disappointment in her voice. It pained Shuu, but he could not address the problem right now.

He closed his emerald eyes and leaned back further in his chair, the receiver still to his lips.  
"I've been a bit busy recently," Shuu replied.

"With what?" Haruka pressed.

"Work." Shuu tried to delay further details, but he knew Haruka would keep questioning.

"Can I know more?"

"No," he replied stuffily. It was odd not telling Haruka the entire truth, but he just couldn't afford her knowing the real reason just yet.

"Oh," Haruka whispered, pausing in silence yet again.  
"Can I visit you?" she then asked innocently.

"Not yet, Haruka," Shuu coolly replied.

"When?" She frowned, impatience sinking into her voice instead of the expected disappointment.

"Eventually," Shuu replied hesitantly.

"Promise?" her voice sharpened slightly

Shuu frowned and contemplated it for a moment.  
"Promise, Haru-chan."

A sing-song, light laughed echoed through the receiver and Shuu's heart fluttered, just like it did as a child.

"Thank you… Shuu," Haruka said warmly. Even through the phone, Shuu could feel this warmth reflected on his cheeks.

"Oh… Shuu-kun, have you ever heard of the actor Hayate Shuuka?"

Silence on the other end.

"Shuu?" Haruka echoed.  
"No." Shuu said sharply. Maybe too sharply.

Haruka bit the inside of her lip. "Sheesh. It was just a question, Shuu-kun," she replied with the same sharp tone.

Shuu stiffened. "I should go, Haruka. Later."

"Uhmm… Okay. Later, Shuu-kun."  
Shuu's throat tightened as he closed the phone in-between his hand and frowned.

"Hayate-san. Time for your next appointment," a man in a gray business suit with a polite smile addressed Shuu.

'Clearly, he's working with the agency. Maybe an intern, because I've never seen him before,' Shuu mentally noted. His expression hardened slightly.  
"Yes, thank you. Let's go"

Inwardly, Shuu was still beating himself up over the phone call from a moment prior. Haruka could be so dense sometimes, but she really needed him right now. Still, Shuu sadly couldn't be of any help yet.

'How can I claim that I love her when I can't even help her when she needs it the most?' he mentally scorned himself, following the man from the agency half-heartedly to his next interview. 'This is awful'

* * *

Lupeh: Another brief chapter. Yes, yes. I'm sorry. This chapter was just a bit of a hinting fluff chapter, and, well. It helps to show that Shuu isn't going to be a normal character in this fic ;] Yes, Shuu is actually Hayate Shuuka(stage name) , a famous actor at the time, but Haruka isn't aware of this.  
Chapter three is fun. I can't wait to publish it!

**Please continue to Read and Review! **


	3. Chapter 2: Repressing Shadows

Nervously, Haruka chewed at the inside of her bottom lip. Details—she had never liked them and the situation all the more gave reason for her hate of them.

Her conversation with her childhood friend had been… well, weird, to say the least, and her point in calling had been evaded as Satoshi's challenge hung heavily over her head.  
'Stupid, stupid Satoshi!' Haruka thought bitterly as her grip on her cell phone tightened. For some odd reason, a grim smile tugged at her expression whenever she reflected on the situation.

'No. It wasn't Satoshi's fault in that situation. Shuu-kun and I's conversation was just weird, but it probably doesn't mean anything. People have awkward conversations all the time, right?'  
The 19 year-old frowned, shaking her head. Shuu had particularly been weird in his reaction to the name of that actor. Hayate Shuuka had only been mentioned because she remembered Hikari frantically gushing about him. Yeah. Hikari had some fangirl tendencies, but Haruka had just been curious. She had never seen or even heard of the man before, and her casual inquiry had been harshly rejected.

'Sheesh. Shuu-kun is beyond weird,' the brunette shook her head, reaching for the remote to the television. Unfortunately, Haruka would momentarily regret turning on this device when Satoshi's appearance flashed across the screen—probably a concert or a promotional video for his music. Haruka didn't want to find out.

Disgust prickled at her throat as she quickly grabbed the remote and angrily mashed at the 'power' button before tossing the remote back on the table.

"Got to get out of the house. Out, out," the teen murmured frantically as she reached for her purse and shoved her key into the smaller side-pocket before heading towards the door. Where to go, she wasn't sure, but she had to get away from the weirdness of Shuu and the devil that was Satoshi and his reign. Yes, wherever that place—that haven—was, she would go.

* * *

Lupeh: Short, transitional chapter to show that Haruka is more affected than she apppears. Honestly, it's quite cute, if you ask me. :3  
Next chapter is unbelievably long, so please forgive me-- still, it's a really important chapter. Read on, my dears, and tell me if there's anything weird or out-of-character.

Oh, and yes, Hikari is fangirling it out. No, I DO NOT intend to show any belleshipping, because I do not support it in any way in that it's an invalid shipping, but I just find that Hikari fangirling would be cute. ;

**Please continue to Read and Review for future chapters!**


	4. Chapter 3: Sing for Me

Shuffling down several city blocks and aimlessly searching for an escape had led the young female to a local tavern that was pretty notorious for its karaoke and musical acts. Admittingly, Haruka enjoyed music, which could have been influenced by living with Satoshi, but maybe all of the things he had done hadn't all been works of evil.

Contently, Haruka settled in a seat right of the small stage, away from the bar and any shady characters. Yes, now she could think about a plan to surpass Satoshi within a year and prove her worth—or so she hoped. Tilting her head, she gently rested it on her palm in a moody thinking position.

Well, there were a couple things about the situation. First off, Satoshi is a musician of the Pop world, and the Pop world included musicians, actors, and models. Three open doors already. Immediately, Haruka mentally closed the door to the model world. There was no way; she was pretty, admittingly, but 'attractive' was beyond her reach. Currently, a musician was a possibility, but that would mean she would have to compete with Satoshi, and running into him was not something that she wanted to make a habit of. Also, her musical knowledge and experience wasn't very… vast, she admitted.

'Acting, hm?' Haruka pondered momentarily. The girl had to admit that she didn't have a lot of experience with acting either. She had never acted in anything besides school plays and that-

"Excuse me. Can I sit here, miss?" A voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Hm?" Haruka hummed, sitting up straight abruptly and looking around in a confused manner before catching the gaze of a man that look a tad older than herself.

"Miss?" he questioned, concern beginning to sink into his expression. For a moment, Haruka did not reply, transfixed by the amber eyes of this stranger.  
Haruka's eyes then widened. "Oh, yes. Please do," she motioned to a seat across from her.

"Thank you," he replied with a polite smile.

'Crap. This guy probably thinks I'm weird for staring' Haruka fretted mentally. Still, she had to admit that the man before her was remotely attractive. Slightly shaggy, but well-kept golden locks framed a mature, but handsome face. Long lashes sheltered dark brown, chocolate-colored eyes and a gentle yet professional smile topped off his appearance.

Breaking away from the stranger's appearance, a sweet melody lulled Haruka's attention to the stage. Leaning forward, she gazed upon a girl also slightly older than herself with ginger hair that brushed at her shoulder and turquoise eyes that shimmered like the sea and danced with her gentle voice.

"Uwa!" Haruka gasped, amazed by the twining of the melody and the girl's voice.

"Miss-" the stranger began.

"Haruka," she corrected.

"Haruka-san, have you never heard Kasumi-san sing before?" he asked, the polite smile resurfacing.  
Haruka innocently shook her head and the man chuckled.

"She's quite good, isn't she?" he questioned, watching the singer for a moment. _Twinge_. Something about the name Kasumi brought a sensation of remembering something—something Satoshi-related. Yet again, she wanted to smack all thoughts of Satoshi from her brain, but this might have relevance.  
'Kasumi… Kasumi… Oh! Kasumi was an ex-girlfriend of Satoshi's in the Tokyo district. Shuu said something about her earlier, now didn't he?'

Admittingly, Haruka had been jealous of Kasumi, because Satoshi had never held any interest in his servant that cared for him endlessly.  
'No, no. This is no time for such stupid thoughts,' Haruka reminded herself.

"Haruka-san, did you come here to listen to Kasumi-san?" the boy inquired. Haruka shook her head.  
Suddenly, a smile played at his lips—happy or devious; she couldn't tell due to its briefness.

"Then perhaps you are here to sing?" he asked, the polite smile returning.

"Well, I didn't originally intend to, but-" the brunette began to nervously explain. She had never really liked extra-attention, so the thought of karaoking in front of an entire group of people sort of—well—terrified her.

"Sing for me, then. I'd like to hear," the stranger surprised her. Behind that polite smile lay something else—Haruka could begin to see it now.

"I'm not one for singing, sir."

"Jun," he corrected, as she had done previously.

"Jun-san, I can't. _Really_." She pleaded.

Jun frowned, running a hand through his head. He looked troubled, and Haruka admitted to feeling bad about causing him trouble.  
Suddenly, as if a switch had been flipped, a new glint shone in the boy's dark orbs. Within a heart beat, he was at her side, arm slipping around her waist with a player's smile on his face.

"Haruka-_chan_, let's go somewhere and have some real fun. Ne?"  
A blush engulfed her face as she pushed his hand away. "N-No!"

"Then sing for me. Please," he repeated.  
'This man is insane, but it's between singing for him and him trying to pull something on me.'

"A-Alright!" Haruka stammered, patience wearing thin. Cautiously, she rose from her seat and slinked towards the stage. Her fears were about to come true and she couldn't do anything in her own defense.

'Well… At least most of the audience will be drunk when hearing me. Maybe Jun-san is intoxicated and is a violent and flirtatious drunk," she tried reassuring herself.

Shyly, she inched across the stage, her heart in her throat and whispered something to the pianist before taking the microphone in her hand—hands that were shaking at this point. Piano entry and 3, 2, 1. She was in, her voice shaking at first. So many people listening to her at once—she didn't want it.

Tightly, she shut her eyes and gripped the microphone tighter, taking in several shallow breaths and trying to smooth her voice out. Gradually, her voice was no longer shaking and the piano sung sweetly in her head—echoing its mysterious sound and soon she was captivated by it, singing in unison with its own voice. Now, she was no longer on a stage singing to a bunch of drunken strangers, but at the beach, watching the sunset as dusk invaded the sky—new and gradual. But then the sky sharply faded as the song ceased.

Hesitantly, Haruka opened her cerulean eyes to gaze upon the audience. Silence fell over the tavern as people froze where they stood. Haruka swallowed hard.

'Was I that bad? I knew I shouldn't have gotten up there!'  
But with that thought, she suddenly became aware of soft clapping in the back of the room. Haruka turned her attention to the noise, and soon, more and more clapping and cheers. It was over-whelming to listen to it all. Embarrassed, Haruka placed the microphone back on the stand and made a break for her seat. To her surprise, Jun was cheering and clapping as well.

"Jun-san?"

"Not bad, Haruka-chan," he nodded.

"My singing was that good?" the girl whispered, bewildered at the possibility of being talented.

"Well, it wasn't bad, but your singing wasn't what was so marvelous," Jun laughed, a sudden aura of playful sarcasm reflecting off of him.

"Wha?"

"Your stage presence. You were absolutely alive up there, no matter what your voice sounded like," the blonde continued, seemingly excited.

"Wait. What? What are you talking about, Jun-san?" Haruka questioned, more confused the further he explained.

Reaching into his right coat pocket, Jun withdrew a small piece of paper and offered it towards Haruka—a business card.

"Minami Jun, employed with Todoke agency. I'm a talent scout and manager, at your service!" the blonde chuckled.

Haruka took a step back. It was as if she entered a world in which nothing made sense.

"T-Talent Scout?" she stammered.

"That's right. I was searching for new talents for my agency, and you, my dear, may be what we're looking for."

Haruka gripped the business card tighter. No—this was too weird to be true.

* * *

Lupeh: Had to age Jun a little for this chapter. It seems a little out of character for him, but let's just say that Jun matured as he got older and later was working alongside entertainers. And.. well... he'll loosen up a little the further this goes. I'm happy to say that this chapter is finished, even though there was some awkward and rougher spots in here. Still-- it got the ball rolling. I appologize for the length and cannot wait to properly introduce Shuu as an actor-- Hayate Shuuka! Please, please, PLEASE keep reading on.

Also, so notations on the suffixes in chapters. First chapter with Satoshi, he refered to Haruka as 'Haru-kun'. In that case, he was basically trying to insult her by calling her a man. Haruka pretty much dropped the suffix with Satoshi as he did with her, because they had been very close.

A note about the suffixes in the chapter with the phone call to Shuu-- notice, Shuu does use suffixes, but he doesn't use one with Haruka. Why? A, because they are childhood friends and very close, and B, it's a hint at how he feels towards her. Unfortunately, Haruka is oblivious to Shuu's feelings and continues to call him 'Shuu-kun' even though she'll drop suffixes altogether when she's very serious.

Now, in the third chapter, it's a little odd that Haruka introduced herself by her first name alone, so to keep the formality, Jun added '-san' instead of 'chan' to her firstname. Because Jun is older than Haruka, she would not use the suffix '-kun' unless they had grown-up together. Towards the end, I stuck in a fake surname for Jun, because I don't remember their surnames currently, but I think it's settled that they are "Haruka-san" and "Jun-san" for now.  
For the part in which Jun was flirting with Haruka, he used '-chan' to make her nervous or embarrassed so he could manipulate her to sing. Afterwards, he used '-chan' again, but it was a cute-teasing way.

Well, I hope that clears up any confusion with all of the names, surnames and suffixes. Remember that suffixes should be noted, because the entire phrase could be changed from a statement to an insult if the improper suffix is used! Thank you!

**Please continue to Read and Review!**


	5. Chapter 4: Lost Without You

Black ink, a tiny logo, and starch white 1 x 1/1 inch piece of card paper—Haruka dared to breathe as she took it out again and traced the title "talent scout" with her finger tip, a smile awakening in the midst of her awe.

'_Me. Me of all people- scouted out by a talent scout? This feels like a dream. I feel like I could eat 100 bowls of ramen, I'm so happy!' _the brunette giggled, leaning back and closing her eyes while her hands held the card on her chest.

It had been a week since her run-in with Jun, and almost two weeks since… '_Ugh, Satoshi! Just you wait until you're begging for mercy from the girl who you treated so poorly for 8 years!'_  
A twisted smile crossed her face as she pictured the dark-haired boy, eyes wide with surprise as what seemed like an alter-ego of herself crossed his path and he threw himself at her feet, weeping and apologizing for not seeing what a beautiful and talented girl she was. Haruka burst out laughing. It was too good to be real just yet, but someday… '_Someday,'_ she soothed. Taking the card in-between her two hands, she lightly kissed it.

Suddenly, the slightest twinge of unpleasant thoughts came over her. Many people made their debuts in their early teens and continued to be famous until they fell out of the public eye. Haruka, being close to age twenty herself, wanted to scream as the previous night's conversation with Hikari returned to her.

"_My youth... It seems to be slipping away," Haruka pouted, moodily sifting through her bowl of rice with chop sticks. Hikari, sitting opposite to the girl, frowned momentarily. Her roommate seemed extremely gloomy tonight. _

"_Haruka-chan, you're only nineteen! How can you say that your youth is slipping away?" the dark-haired girl giggled, smiling reassuringly. "Age is what you make of it, but Haruka—you're young in all standards. Besides, don't you think Satoshi-kun should be the one worrying about such things? Most of his audience is in their early twenties and he is nearly twenty-eight." Hikari laughed, and the slightest of relief swept over Haruka. Living with Hikari was unexpectedly pleasant, because the eighteen year-old never failed to surprise her and put her at ease._

_Haruka grinned. "If Satoshi is old, then Takeshi-senpai must be ancient!"  
The two glanced at each other in momentary silence before bursting out in laughter. Haruka toppled over, holding her stomach. Her roommate's light laughter filled her ears and her worries seemed to trail away. Shifting, Haruka glanced at Hikari when her hand was placed on her shoulder._

"_Takeshi-senpai would be devastated to hear you calling him old, Haruka-chan," the girl teased._

"_No worries. Show him a good looking girl and he'll forget about it instantly," Haruka sighed, shaking her head. "Masato was best at keeping him at bay. Without him, I do worry what Takeshi-senpai does,"_

"_Maybe we should go visit him," Hikari's eyes widened, excitement filling them. "It'll be like old times! Takeshi-senpai's cooking is delicious and we could invite Shuu, Shinji, Masato, and everyone else! Ne, Haruka? Ne? Ne?" she clasped her hands, a grin trailing from ear-to-ear._

_Haruka's eyes widened. "H-Hikari-chan…"_

"_Haruka-chan, this would be great for you. Everyone's encouraging you, so you should do your best, okay?" the eighteen year-old smiled._

_The brunette giggled. Yes, she was still young, but her time to debut was quickly growing shorter and soon enough, she'd bee too old to break in. Perhaps such encouragement would be good for her. Still…_

'Stupid Satoshi, still making everything difficult for me!' she hissed, glaring at the mental images of the boy as he smirked in her thoughts. She bit her tongue, frowning. Perhaps not. 'Maybe Satoshi did help... a little... After all, I really like music because of…' she paused, shaking her head roughly. 'No! That has nothing to do with him. I like music, but that's not necessarily because of that bone-head. '

Haruka glanced at her cell phone. Still no calls from Shuu. 'Typical.' Haruka thought bitterly. His voice was ringing in her ears and still she could not sum up the courage to call him during the day, even if she wanted to do it.

'He wouldn't pick-up anyways. Shuu-kun is busy with his job, whatever it is.'

Haruka sighed, pulling up her e-mail and scanned the new messages. Spam, spam, horoscopes, spam, Hikari, spam… Haruka tilted her head to the side as she read the date and time of the message from Hikari. It was recent, which was surprising when the girl was supposed to be working. Curiously, she opened the message.

"_Haruka-chan,_

_I have an early shift today, but there's food in the refrigerator ^w^. Don't burn the house down if you use the stove! _

_Your interview with Todoke is coming up, so let's go shopping later! :D Call me back after 4 PM._

_-Hikari "_

Haruka giggled. Why the bubbly girl used so many symbols in her messages was a mystery to her, but still, she couldn't not help but be even the slightest bit happy. Shopping with Hikari was exactly what she wanted to hear.

* * *

It was a quarter after 5 PM as Haruka anxiously waited for the appearance of Hikari, who had called her earlier and asked to meet in the down-town area in front of a small café' before exploring the shopping district near by.

Glancing around, the brunette felt tiny among the bustling crowds. Osaka was allegedly the third most populated city in Nihon, but never had it dawned on her how big those estimates really were. Shyly, her gazed trailed to the ground as she tugged at the pleat of her pink mini-skirt. Yes, she could admit to being uncomfortable in such feminine attire, but the request had come for Hikari for Kami-sama knows why.

Her gaze raked the gray slab of pavement for a moment longer before bright-emerald caught her gaze. Haruka's breath hitched in her throat and heart pulsed in her ears as she studied the back of a young man with slightly shaggy emerald hair who wore a dark-gray business suit.

"Sh-Shuu!?" Haruka yelped, eyed widening. She had not been able to look at the male from the front, but even just a passing glance had bestowed hope in her. She hyperventilated, shaking her head as her fists clenched. The desire to chase after 'Shuu' was overwhelming and she knew she couldn't control it for much longer. Her heart was racing and she knew she would regret not following him.

She swallowed heard- nervously. If it was Shuu, who was to say he would spare her even a passing glance? 'No, no. Shuu-kun wouldn't ignore me, even if he was busy. He can be mean sometimes, but Shuu-kun is a good person!' she debated, shifting anxiously back and forth. Suddenly, her legs were moving in pursuit. Whether she was wrong or right, she'd find out later as her thoughts followed behind her.

'Shuu-kun! Shuu-kun! I miss you! I've missed you!' she cried inwardly, staggering forward as she dodged crowds of other business men dressed similarly. Subconsciously, her hand was extended forward, almost within reach of 'Shuu's' shoulder.  
'Shuu-kun, there's so much I need to tell you. Please don't leave me… No, please, please don't anymore!' She bit the inside of her lip as her hand was finally within reaching distance and seized the man's shoulder, heart pounding more than ever. "Shuu-kun!" she mouthed.

To her disappointment, calculating emerald eyes and a familiar face was not what she saw when the stranger turned to face her. Light hazel eyes filled with surprise met her own, and there was a strange silence as the corner of Haruka's mouth slipped into a slight frown.

"Sorry, miss. I don't think I'm who you're looking for," the man chuckled. He looked a tad older than twenty-three and bore a professional and polite smile, just as Jun had. "Sorry to disappoint you. I hope you can find your boyfriend soon," he continued, shrugging off her hand and turning away. Haruka's mouth hung open as he left before she could utter a word of apology.

Her knees grew weak as she processed what had just happened once more before staggered forward. Weakly, she held her face in her hands as tears welled in her eyes, a strangled sob escaping her.  
"It wasn't Shuu-kun… I was wrong after all," she hiccupped, removing her hands from her face and wiping her eyes several times. Her hands trembled as she took in several shaky breaths and glanced around. For the first time, Haruka took note of how far she had chased the stranger.

'I chased him for a good 5 minutes, and now Hikari is probably at the meeting spot. Ugh! 'She frowned, shaking her head again. 'I can't believe how stupid I am…'

Blue eyes surveyed her surroundings once more as she tried to calculate which direction she had come from.  
'Was it west on the Avenue, or North?' Haruka fretted, pivoting on her heel. A sick feeling clenched her stomach as it dawned on her. 'I'm undeniably lost…'

Instinctively, her hand reached for her purse and quickly fished out her teal cell phone before she glanced at the screen. A frown line set—her battery was near dead and she couldn't get even the slightest bit of cell signal here.

'Oh, kami-sama! Oh, kami-sama! Please help me!' the teen yelped, panic filling her expressions as she glanced around frantically at her unfamiliar surroundings once more.

"Hikari-chan is going to kill me…" Haruka whimpered, falling to her knees and staring up at people who passed by with the expression of a lost child. One or two would occasionally spare her a glance, but there was no hope in the expressions of these CEOs, dressed elegantly in imported suits. There was no hope anywhere for a lost teen who just wanted to find her childhood friend.

* * *

Lupeh: Poor Haruka. Even I feel sorry for having made her feel this disappointed D: But~ Maybe if you review enough, the next chapter will be better. ;]

**Thanks for your time. Please continue to Read and Review!!**


	6. Chapter 5: Little Puppy

Pacing back and forth frantically had been an unrewarded plan after 20 minutes of trying to pull her thoughts together. Haruka's gaze darted left and right, quickly taking note of the thinning crowd. The pin-striped and tweed suits had disappeared from her sight, which left the nineteen year-old in even more of a dilemma. The streets were a dangerous place to wander, but the question was: Where to go?

Most of the surrounding buildings were corporations, which had to mean that she had trailed downtown into the business district. Pausing, Haruka checked her cell phone clock and sighed. 32 minutes late.

Trailing down the side-walk, her feet rejoiced at the sight of a bench near the curb. The brunette grinned slightly, hoping to collect her thought in peace while resting on the city bench. The streets were quiet now, which relieved and worried the girl at the same time.

Staggering forward, Haruka collapsed on the right side of the bench, crossing her legs and boredly leaning on the arm rest. Her options were limited and her worry for not only her own safety, but Hikari' as well gnawed at her internally.  
Checking her cell-phone again, Haruka sighed disapprovingly and held her head in her hands, scrunching her eyes closed tightly.

"This day can't get any worse…" she murmured despairingly.

"Rough day?" a voice interrupted her thoughts. Haruka's eyes widened as she glanced up at the tall stranger that addressed her. Warm violet eyes stared down at her quizzically as a lopsided grin crossed his face. "You look like a lost puppy, chikoi wanko-chan (little dog)"

The brunette lifted a brow. "Little puppy?" she frowned.  
"It's pretty suiting, hmm?" the stranger laughed, running a hand through his light gray-blue hair that spiked in the back and feathered down near his face in the front.

Haruka sighed. "I guess you're right about one thing, Oji-san (old man). I am lost…"  
"Oji-san? How rude! I'm only thirty-two, wanko-chan," he frowned, crossing his arms playfully.  
"But I suppose I, Daigo, can forgive a cute puppy for such a mistake." He grinned.

Haruka flushed, glancing at the pavement to collect herself. "I'm sorry, Daigo-san. My mistake."  
Daigo stared at the azure-eyed girl with surprise before laughing. It was a sweet, melodic laugh that brought warmth to her cheeks. Her eyes locked with his as he addressed her.

"Wanko-chan, perhaps I can help you out,"

"H-Haruka!" she stammered, gazing at him with a line of blush across her face. "I'm Haruka…"

"Haru-wanwan, where are you trying to get to?" the thirty-two year-old questioned, his smile generally warm and friendly in comparison to the polite business smile she had expected to receive. Daigo had that CEO aura to him—a certain professionalism—even if she could never imagine him sitting sternly in a cubicle and attending to office work.

Haruka tapped her chin with her finger.  
"I was suppose to meet my roommate, Hikari, at the café on 3rd Avenue at 5:20, but that was awhile ago, after I became lost without any cell phone signal," the girl quickly explained. Daigo nodded, his eyes calculating, which only resurfaced fond memories of her emerald eyed friend once more. 'Shuu…' she sighed.

"Ahhh," her companion commented, nodding at last. "You're a good mile away from your rendezvous point, Haru-wanwan. And… About 40 minutes late,"  
The handsome male fiddled with his neck-tie for a moment before digging out his own cell phone. Glancing at the screen, he raised a brow.

"Funny. I have signal here. What about you, Haruka?" he questioned, not turning his glance away from the phone but extending his left hand for her to place the teal phone in. His gaze flickered to the teen's phone as a frown cross his face. "How strange…"

Haruka sighed, rubbing her temples. She was semi-grateful to have Daigo's assistance, but her sense of time ragged at her.  
"I need to find Hikari," she huffed, frowning to herself moodily. Daigo chuckled.

"There's a slight possibility that I can be of assistance, Haru-wanwan, so don't worry that pretty little head," he nodded, the lopsided-grin returning.  
"My manager has my car in for repairs, but I know someone who lives around here that might be able to help you."

Haruka's eyes widened, trying to suppress all the excited and relieved feelings that she felt at the time.  
"Really!? Thank you, Daigo-san! Thank you!" she bowed her head humbly several times. The male laughed, versus his also pleasant chuckle before he ruffled Haruka's hair playfully and began to punch in several numbers into his phone's keypad. Satisfied with what he entered, the receiver was brought to his lips as he listened to ringing for a moment before a young male voice sounded on the other end of the line.  
"Daigo-san?" it yelped, sounding surprised.

"Shuuka-kun, I need you and your car for about 20 minutes," Daigo stated. To Haruka, it sounded more like a demand than a request. Silence for a moment.

"Right now?" the voice questioned.

"Yes, now!" the older male shook his head, frowning to himself. "Meet me a block away from the _Yume _studios… And, yes, drive now, ask later. You see why soon enough" he stated mischievously.

Haruka's eyes filled with curiosity as she listened to the gray-blue haired man's half of the conversation, taking note of the slightest change in personality. Acknowledging the pair of sapphire eyes, Daigo smiled reassuringly as he listened to grumbling from the man of the other end of the line a bit longer before he finally agreed. Grinning half to himself, his hands shut the phone before he stowed it in his suit pocket once more.

Haruka tilted her head to the side. "What's going on?"  
The violet-eyed man grinned again. "You'll see soon enough, wanko-chan…"

* * *

Shuu huffed, annoyed when he struggled to pull on his boots near the front door. He tripped a step or two, but caught his balance at the last second in a quick recovery before snatching his car-keys from where they hung neatly on the wall.

Having received a ridiculous call from his superior, he debated whether to fill the call or not. Daigo was a man who could be rather tricky and would occasionally toy with the older teen. He sighed. Still, Shuu admitted to owing the man more favors that he could even pay back.

'It's expected of me, I guess," the emerald-eyed boy thought to himself as he slipped into the driver's seat of his sleek sports car and quickly put it in gear. It was a 4 minute drive at best to the given destination, but still Shuu could not shake the feeling that Daigo would find something to nag about to him. He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair several times.

Having stopped at the only stoplight of his entire commute, the emerald-eyed male plucked his cell phone from the arm rest and stared at the 'recent calls' list with discontent. Not a single call from Haruka, as predicted.  
"What did I expect?" he sighed "She's probably avoiding the task of calling me now… but I hope she's alright.." his voice dropped to a whisper, shaking his head once more as he turned the corner and caught sight of Tsuwabuki Daigo.

Pulling up to the curb, Shuu put the car in 'park' and rolled down the window to glance up at his superior. "You rang, master Tsuwabuki?" he smirked.

A look of amusement was reflected on the older male's face. "Good kouhai. You made it after all."

"You probably wouldn't let go of the issue otherwise if I hadn't shown," Shuu shrugged. "So what is this request of yours?"

Daigo grinned, stepping out of the way to reveal the azure-eyed girl who gazed at the two timidly. Shuu had to contain himself from doing a double-take, or even a triple-take, for that matter. This girl was gorgeous and yet…. so familiar. Sapphire eyes locked with his emerald gaze, and for a moment, he felt as if he truly did know her. 'Impossible… It can't be, right? '

His gaze raked over the stranger, observing every little detail he could pick-up while being conspicuous. 'No, no! Haruka lives in Osaka, right? This girl just so happens to resemble her… a lot,' he soothed, managing a polite smile. Haruka's eyes filled with curiosity as she gently smiled back at the mysterious man.

Breaking his gaze from Haruka, Shuu could feel his heart racing, but tried to appear calm.  
"Alright, I take it you're 'assisting' people again, Daigo-san," Shuu chuckled. The corner of the older man's mouth tugged into a devious smile.  
"No, I just found this cute, lost puppy and thought you could help her find her way home." Daigo's eyes filled with badly concealed mischief.

"Right…" the emerald-eyed teen replied sarcastically. Haruka listened to the two chatter back and forth for a moment before managing to speak and remind them of her presence.  
"Uhmm… Daigo-san?"

Turning back to his 'damsel in distress', Daigo smiled.  
"Of course, of course, my dear. We can't forget about you." He stated, tone smooth and charming as he lifted the girl in a bridal-style carry. Haruka's face became more scarlet than a rose as she struggled and stammered words of protest. Shifting her weight in his arms, Tsuwabuki Daigo opened the door to the passenger's seat and placed her inside before turning to address Shuu again.

"You're chauffeuring today, Shuuka-kun. Make sure she gets to the café on 3rd, and not to your apartment," he winked, shutting the door and knocking on the side of the car-door in a way that was used when seeing someone off.

"That Daigo..." Shuu groaned, shifting gears and lightly tapping on the accelerator.  
'Great. Now I'm a taxi-cab driver chauffeuring a temptress who resembles my unrequited lover. Isn't this the cherry on the whipped cream?'

* * *

**Lupeh: **So about half-way through this chapter, I learned that Daigo (Steven Stone) had a last name. Haruka is just not aware of it yet o:

Fufufufu c: I had fun with this chapter, and hopefully it's not as rough as it seems to me, having read it over and over for mistakes. I finally brought Shuu back into the equation, which means the next chapter is going to be Contestshipping :D  
And, yes, many of you will wonder why Haruka doesn't recognize Shuu.. Well, now. First off, Shuu obviously dyed his hair for his career xD And, really. They haven't seen each other since they were 11, so it would be a little difficult to recognize someone you haven't seen in eight years. (*shakes fist* Stupid Satoshi-- trying to ruin Contestshipping)

Anyways--** Please continue to Read and Review, and look forward to the next chapter! **


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